Restaurant in Orcières (Photo © Gilles Baron)Top 10 specialities not to be missedin Orcières and the Champsaur
1. The Champsaur plank
It’s impossible to pass through Orcières without succumbing to the famous Champsaur plank, a concentration of the valley’s authentic flavours.
Crisp, melt-in-the-mouth tourtons, ravioles du Champsaur delicately flavoured with a drizzle of local honey and accompanied by a fresh salad, traditional charcuterie and tomme cheese from the valley’s farms… This generous platter celebrates the friendliness and richness of the region.
Local products at the Auberge Prapicoise
Tourtons and ravioli, Traiteur Martine et Hervé Giraud Moine
Donkey ears at the Auberge Prapicoise2. Mountain gratins
Gratins are a real comfort food after a day in the great outdoors.
The must-try donkey’s ear gratin – where wild spinach leaves are combined with a creamy sauce and gratinated cheese – sits alongside ravioli with morel mushrooms, whose woody flavour bewitches the taste buds. Simple, refined recipes that warm as much as they seduce.
And as we really enjoyed the Tourtons and the local charcuterie just before, we’re going to put some more on to accompany the dish!
3. Processed cheese from the valley
Here, cheese comes in all its gourmet flavours: creamy raclette, convivial fondue or hot box cooked in its wooden case, flavoured with herbs and garlic.
These typical mountain recipes take on a unique dimension thanks to the local cheeses, which fully express the character of the surrounding mountain pastures.
Fondue at the L'Ourson restaurant
Lambs at Orcières
Village of Prapic
General view of Prapic4. Lamb and prawns from Prapic
In Prapic, an emblematic little village, lamb reared in the mountain pastures offers tender, flavoursome meat, subtly seasoned with mountain herbs.
Served with creuzets, the authentic rustic pasta from Champsaur, this dish tells the story of shepherds and preserved traditions.
5. The Champsaur tart
The sweet symbol of the valley, the Champsaur tart seduces with its golden shortbread pastry and prune, raspberry or blueberry jam filling.
Both crunchy and melt-in-the-mouth, it’s a perfect accompaniment to breakfasts and snacks alike, and embodies the expertise of local patisseries.
Champsaur tart at Ricou bakery
Prapic honey6. Honey from our mountains
Made by bees from the wild flowers of our mountain pastures, the mountain honey harvested in Orcières and the valley is enchanting with its delicate aromas, which change depending on where it is harvested and the altitude. Perfect on toast, in herbal tea or to accompany traditional ravioles, it evokes the purity and generosity of our mountains.
7. Local jams
Wild blueberries, tangy raspberries, or more surprisingly, dandelion flowers or larch buds picked in early spring… Artisanal jams and flower delights from Champsaur sublimate the fruits of the mountains. Prepared with care, they offer an authentic sweetness, ideal to accompany a slice of brioche, a Champsaur tart or simply to savour with a spoon.
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Flower delights - Les délices orsatus
Homemade ice cream8. Artisanal ice creams
The local ice-cream makers – Altiflore, M’ice, Les Gardettes and La Barthe – offer homemade ice creams that celebrate the flavours of the mountains: sorbets with red forest fruits, creamy ice creams with milky flavours…
A fresh and tasty stop-off, perfect after a sunny hike.
9. craft beers
In Orcières and nowhere else, try L’Oursière: a craft IPA beer with notes of mango and white stone fruit. A little further down the valley, the Walpine brewery produces unique, award-winning recipes: light blondes, amber ales with caramel notes or more aromatic IPAs. Creations inspired by the landscape and ideal for accompanying local specialities.
L'Oursière beer
L'Oursière beer
Genepi picking
Génépi Guillaumette10. Genepi
Finally, it’s impossible to end without mentioning génépi, the emblematic liqueur of the Alps. Made from the plant of the same name, it seduces with its herbaceous aromas and mild bitterness.
Served as an after-dinner drink, it prolongs the pleasure of a meal and leaves an unforgettable memory of the summits of Orcières… all the more so when the production is local and award-winning, as with Guillaumette génépi!
How about a taste of the valley?
These ten specialities reveal a whole art of mountain living: recipes handed down from generation to generation, products from an unspoilt natural environment and a conviviality that is as enjoyable as the dishes themselves. So, on your next getaway to Orcières, take the time to explore this gourmet heritage – and let your taste buds guide you through the Champsaur valley.
